I heard this from casual NBA fans and people in the broader sports media a lot this year — the NBA should start around Christmas every year. Even though this year’s start was delayed by a foolish lockout, some fans liked the shorter regular season. The condensed schedule that wore on players led to it feeling like we saw quality matchups more often.

But you’re never going to see this schedule again. (Well, not until the next lockout anyway.)

The NBA is going back to a full 82 game slate next year and the reason is money. The reason is always money. Here is what NBA Deputy Commissioner Adam Silver told the Associated Press.

“If you cut the season shorter, we cut our revenues significantly as well. Players would make less, so no, and I think it’s not optimal to play a condensed season in this fashion,” he said Thursday.

“I think both we and the players’ union recognized that going in, but it was a compromise on both our parts to maximize the amount of salary players would get this season and to have as authentic a season as possible, sufficient number of games for competitive reasons.”

So the NBA will return around Halloween as always and you can get back to complaining about meaningless January games again next season.